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A paedophile vicar who penned handwritten fantasy stories about child sex and posted them through neighbours' letterboxes has been spared a jail sentence.

Peter Low, 65, was caught after police investigating a burglary at his house discovered he was the author of the letters, Chelmsford Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

Officers found nothing had been stolen, but discovered that handwriting on a "to do list" at Low's home matched that on the fantasy stories. They subsequently discovered vile images on Low's computer, said prosecutor Peter Gair.

Low pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing prohibited images of children at an earlier hearing at the same court.

He has been suspended from all his duties as a vicar of the United Benefice of Heybridge with Langford in Essex.

Sentencing Low, Judge Jeremy Benson imposed a 36-month community order, telling him: "You have previously led an unblemished life and served the community in your position."

A vicar was found with a stash of child porn after detectives recognised his handwriting from a string of sick fantasy stories sent to his neighboursCredit:
SWNS.com

Mr Gair said the day after Low reported the burglary to police in July last year, officers "became aware of certain pieces of paper that had been left deliberately near the property including posted through neighbours' addresses".

"These were handwritten fantasy stories but included photographs of scantily-clad but not totally naked children in the region of nine to 12 years, depending on which story one read, having sex with each other and with adults," said the prosecutor.

Police visited Low's home for the purposes of fingerprint elimination, and found handwriting on a "to do list" in his home matched the handwriting on the fantasy stories.

Low was then formally arrested, his computer was seized and the indecent images were discovered.

Police found Low, of Crescent Road, Heybridge, had nine images that were at the most serious level, category A, with 25 category B images, 21 category C images and 124 prohibited images of children.

All counts relate to July 27 last year, and Mr Gair said all the images were discovered on a computer seized from Low's home.

He said the images were of pre-pubescent children, "mainly males but also girls as well".

Low's internet history revealed that he had used the search terms "boy models", "eight-year-old boys", "schoolboy sex" and "nude children pictures".

Low, who has short grey hair and a beard and wore glasses, a dark blue suit, white shirt and red tie, showed no reaction throughout the hearing.

Peter Butterfield, mitigating, said Low was retired and of previous good character.

As well as the 36-month community order, Low was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. Judge Benson also imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order, ordered the confiscation of Low's computer and that he sign the sex offenders register.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Chelmsford said Low would face a church investigation under the clergy discipline measure after sentencing.

"The diocese is appalled that a clergyman has fallen so far short of the standards expected by the church," the spokesman said.